Mechanical starter for aircraft engines



Oct. 17,' 1950 w. H. suGHTl-:R 2,526,578

MECHANICAL STARTER`F'OR AIRCRAFTvENGINES Filed Dec. 17, 1946 4 sheets-sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

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MECHANICAL STARTER FOR- AIRCRAFT ENGNES oct. 17, 195o '4 sheets-sheet 2 Filqd Deo.- 17, 1946 l INVENToR. Muff/11666175@ Oct. 17, 1950 w. H. RIGHTER MECHANICAL STARTER FoR AIRCRAFT ENGINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 17. 194e I N VEN TOR. ML 721 Hwf@ v /TH/ Oct. 17, 1950 w. H. RIGHTER MECHANICAL STARTER FOR AIRCAF-TENGINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. /AQL 715 MQW/75 www /f patented ct. 17,

MECHANICAL STARTER FOR AIRCRAFT ENGINES Walter H. Righter, Glendale, Calif.

Application December 17, 1946, Serial No. 716,685

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and particularly pertains to a mechanical starter for aircraft engines. Y.

Aircraft engines have in most instances de pended upon the manual spinning of the propeller or the operation of an electric starter to initiate operation of the engine. The practice of manual starting of the engine by spinning the propeller is laborious and dangerous, and the use of an electric starter adds an undesirable additional weight to the load carried by theengine. Both of these practices, however, can be tolerated in the operation of large aircraft but are undesirable Vin connection with smallaircraft, particularly when flown by civilians. In small aircraft itis hazardous for a civilian operator to attempt to start the engine by spinning the propeller, and when using an electric starting 'unit the weight of the unit adds considerable undesired load to the plane, It is desirable, therefore, to provide a light-weight mechanical starter which can be used in a convenient manner and with safety. It is the principal object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a mechanical engine starter, particularly adapted for installation and use in connection with small air' craft internal combustion engines, said starter structure being easily installed upon existingl models of aircraft engines and occupying a small amount of space so that the engine can be started by the pilot while seated within the engine cabin and without danger of injury incident to the starting operation.

' 'The present invention contemplates the provision of a spinning unit which may be easily installed upon the engine frame and associated with the engine crankshaft, said unit being manually operated to spin the engine and being provided with automatic means for insuring that the engine crankshaft will be positively disconnected from the operating means in the event of backfire. Y

i The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which: Y Figure 1 is a view in plan indicating a conventional airplane engine in dottedV lines and showing the starting mechanism with which the present invent-ion is. concerned.

Fig, l2 is a view inside elevation vrindicating an airplane engine in dotted lines and showing the details of construction of the starting mechanism installed thereupon. Y Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse view in section and'elevation as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1

2 and shows the starting ratchet and the operating clutch associated therewith. V 1

Fig. 4 is a View in central section as seen on' the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and shows the clutch mechanism in solid lines and indicating a fragmentary portion of the engine structure and the' crankshaft by dotted lines.

' Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation showing the mounting ring for the starter pawl.

Fig. 6 is a View in elevation as seen on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 and shows the details of construc'y starter. ff Fig. 8 is an enlarged' fragmentary view in end elevation showing the relation of the starter pawl to the starting ratchet when said elements are in their initial disengaged positions.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary View similar to that shown in Fig. 8 indicating the starter pawl in its initial engaged position with the ratchet as the starting operation is initiated.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig.' 8 showing the starter pawl as it approaches the end of its starting operation.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view similar to that shown in Fig. 8 indicating the relation of the starter pawl and the ratchet as the pawl lis retracted from engagement with the ratchet and returns to its initial position. v

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the pawl clutch mechanism as seen on the line |2-l2 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 13 is a View in side elevation showing the starter pawl.

Fig. 14 is a view in end elevation showing the starter pawl and the overhanging cam surfacev for the clutch roller.

Fig. 15 is a view in end elevation showing the clutch roller.

Fig. 16 is a View in side elevation showing the clutchroller.r

Fig. 17 is a View in end elevation showing the assembled starter mechanism and indicates the cable arrangement.

Fig. 18 is a view in elevation as seen on the line I8-l8 of Fig. 17 and shows the starter structure.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged view in central vertical section through the cable tension means as seen on the line l9-l9 of Fig. 17,

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the cable end fitting.

Fig. 2l is a fragmentary view in central longi in the groove 29.

5. 39 has swung inwardly to its engaging position and the free edge of the portion 56 has moved into substantial contact with the circumference of the member I9. This insures that a clutch action will take place to cause the roller disc 50 to retract the pawl from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel I 8 in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The actuating ring 26 is intended' to be rotated by means operated by hand or foot power. As shown in the drawings, foot power is utilized. The structure involved includes a treadle bar 59 which extends horizontally as shown inv Figs. 1 and 2`of the drawings. This bar is mounted on a fitting 60 which is formed witha pair of vertical arms 6I spaced apart and intended to accommodate a 'guide rod 62. The guide rod 62 eX- tends4 substantially horizontally although it is slightly inclined downwardly and forwardly from a bracket 63 to a tting 64. The bracket 63 is carried by .the instrument board frame structure 65. Disposed between the arms 6I and resting upon the guide rod 62 is a grooved pulley 66 mounted upon a pivot pin 61. The pulley tends to guide the treadle bar 59 in its path and acts to prevent it from tilting from its horizontal position. At the lower end of the fitting 60 is a bearing 68 through which a tubular member 69 extends and within which it is secured by set screws 10. YExtending into the tubular member 69 and through an opening 1| in the end of the bearing 68 is a rod 12. This rod is provided with a head 13at its free end and is fastened to the bracket 63*by a nut 14. Interposed between an end shoulder within the bearing 68 and a shoulder on .the head 13 is a recoil spring 16. This spring acts to restore the tting 60 and the treadle 59 `to their normal retracted positions when pressure is relieved from the treadle. The tubular thrust member 69 is guided through a non-metallic bearing pad 11 carried on the partition structure 18. It is intended that the thrust member 69 shall engage a cable and produce rotation of the actuating ring 26. The preferred form of this structure is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, while a modification is shown in Figs. 17 and 18. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. l and 2 a continuous length of cable is looped around the actuating ring 26 and lies with- At a point intermediate the ends of this cable it is secured in position by a fastening plate 80 which has a series of perforations .through it to receive fastening screws 8|. These screws are threaded into the actuating ring 26 and will hold the cable against movement. The cable will thus be in effect divided into two lengths, one indicated at 19a which extends around the actuating ring 26 in a clockwise direction and is led around a guide pulley 82. The guide pulley 82 is disposed substantially vertically and is mounted upon a pin 83. The pin 83 is carried by a bracket 84 secured in a suitable position upon the engine I0. The length of cable 19a is led beneath the pulley 82 and is attached at its end to a helical spring 85 which in turn'is secured to a fastening 86 at the end of the thrust tube 69. The opposite length of cable is designated at 191 and it is led around the actuating ring 26 in a counter-clockwise direction. It passes around a guide pulley 81 mounted upon avertical pivot pin 88 which is carried by the bracket 84. This length of cable is led around a pulley 89 which is mounted upon a horizontal pivot pin 90. The horizontal pivot pin 90 is carried by a bracket 9| secured to the frame of the engine I0. The end 'of thelength 19b of the cable is connected to the thrust tube 69 by the fastening 86 and thus While the cable length 19b is drawn in the cableline 198L is payed out.

In order to hold the thrust tube 69 nrmly a guide bracket 92 is provided as shown particularly in Fig. 22 of the drawings. Here it will be seen that the bracket 9| is provided with an arm member 93 through which the pivot pin 90 extends to support the pulley 89 and also a bracket member 94 which extends beneath the thrust tube 69 and then upwardly to receivethe pivot pin of the Vpulley 89. Mounted upon the members 90 and 94 are wear strips 95, 96-and 91. These strips are preferably made of non-metallic material, such as ber, and will act to guide the thrust tube 69 as it reciprocates.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 17 and 18, ofthe drawings the cable length 19a is led around a tension pulley 98. This pulley is mounted upon a pivot shaft 99 carried by a bracket |00 and is shown particularly in Fig. 19 of the drawings. Here it will be seen that a coil spring |0| is wrapped around hub |02 of the pulley and is secured at one end by a screw |93. The opposite end of the spring IIlI is fastened within a'case |64. This coil spring tends to rotate the Ypulley 98 in a clockwise direction. A radial slot. |05 is formed at a point in the circumference of the pulley 98 and its inner end is'enlarged'to receive a fastening member |06 which is secured to the end of the cable length 19a. The cable length 19u is carried around pulley 81, as previously described, and will be connected directly to the fastening 86 on the end of the thrust tube 69.

In operation of the present invention, the structure is assembled as here shownand in the preferred form of the invention the cable 19 is arranged as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. When it is desired to start the engine I9, the feet of the pilot are placed on the treadle bar 56 at opposite sides of the guide 82. In this position the knees of the pilot are bent and drawn toward the pilots body. An action is then made to simultaneously straighten out both legs. This will force the thrust rod 69 inthe direction of the arrow a, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As a result thecable length 19h will be pulled in the direction of the arrow b,'as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the actuating ring 26 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow c, as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. Simultaneously, the cable length 19a will move in a counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow dv in Fig. 2 and other figures of the drawings. J

It will be understood that prior to the actuation of the thrust tube 69 the ratchet wheel I8 will be motionless and the actuating ring 26v and the pawl 39 will be in the position shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. In this position the actuating ring 26 will be yieldably pulled in a clockwise direction by the tension spring 85, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, or the coil spring IOI as shown in Fig. 19. The rear inclined face of the pawl tooth 40 will be drawn against the edge 53 of the cutaway portion I9 of the cylindrical extension I9, and thus the pawl will be held out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel I8. Attention is directed to the fact that in the normal inactive position of the actuating ring the pawl has moved in a clockwise direction over the plane of the longitudinal center of the shaft II, and at this time the roller disc 50 will have moved by gravity along the cylindrical extension I9 until it has moved against the engl* 7 memberoftheoverhang-ing plate .49. YIt will aiso/Foenoted thatduetothezshape of the'` plate 49:` consider-able vclearance will occurbetween the roller 58 and the member 49.

When the foot treadle 59 is movedv inithe .direc- -tion-of the arrow a the thrust .tube-69 will move in i'a similar direction .toward the .dotted line position asv indicated in Fig. 2. During this movement the cable length "I9b will be drawn around the. pulley 89 aswell as `the pulley .81 and -will cause the acutating ringf26 to rotate in the direction of the pull. YAs this occurs the pawl 39 willrmove in a counterclockwise direction over the vertical plane which intersects the .axis of .the-shaft II, andv asxthis takes place the rear 'face lof the-pawl tooth 4D will slide downwardly along the shoulder 53 of'thecutawayV portion I9 of the cylindrical extension I9, so that the pawl willr swing inwardly around its pivotpin 42 as urged-by the spring 44. It will be noted that there is -sufcient clearance between the mem- -ber 149 and the cylindrical extension IBfnear the pivoted end-of the pawl 4'?. This will permit the roller; 58 to roll freely toward the end 55 as the pawl'` passes over the center of the cylindrical extension |91 and to roll toward the end 56 during the starting stroke. As the actuating ring :26 -moves in the direction of the rarrow c, as shown inFg. 9 of the drawings, the pawl 39 will swing downwardly and dispose the tooth 40 in engagementwithfa tooth of the ratchet wheel I8. This engagement will. continue while imparting rotation 'to' the ratchet wheel in4 the direction of the arrow. e, as shownin the drawings.

When theu thrust tube 69 has reached the end 'of .its'stroke, as the tting 6U strikes pad Tl, the actuating ring 26 will not be rotated any further in the direction of the arrow c, and release 'of pressure upon the foot treadle 59 will cause the thrust tube 69 to move in a counter-direction to that indicated by arrow a as urged by the expansion of spring 'I6 within the tube 59. During this operation the actuating ring 26 will move in the direction of the arrow f, as shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings, whilethe cable length |51b will move in the direction of the arrow g, and the cable length 19a will move in the direction of the arrow h., as shown in Fig. l1. It will be assumed thatthe operation started the engine so that the ratchet wheel I8 will continue to rotate in the direction of the arrow e. During the time that the actuating ring 26 moved in the direction of the arrow c, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, there wasv a tendency for the roller G to remain at the wide end of the throat 58 and near the stop member 55. When, however, the actuating ring 26 begins to rotate in the direction of the arrow "1, as shown in Fig. 11, there will be a tendency for the roller 50' to roll downwardly into the narrow end of the throat 58 until it encounters `the stop 56. This is due to the fact that the roller 5|! is resting upon the cylindrical ilange I9 fand is held yieldably thereagainst by the over- -hanging portion 49 of the pawl. Thus, the roller 5D will rotate in the directionof the arrow indicated upon the roller in Fig. 1l, and will thus wedge'down to the free end ofthe pawl 39 to the position shown in Fig. l1. As the roller 50 -reaches'this position it will withdraw the pawl tooth 40 from engagement with the tooth of the ratchet wheel I8 and will automatically release the mechanical starting mechanism from the ratchet wheel. The counter rotation of the actuating ring 25 in the direction of the arrow f will continue until the thrust tube 65 is restored to 8. its'original position, fas vindicated in Fig. 2-of th drawings. In the form or construction shown in Figs. 1. and 2 of the drawings the reverse movement is made by pulling upon the cable length 19' in direct connection With the thrust rod v69. In the `form of the invention shown in Figs. 17 and 18 the cable length 19a is drawn in the direction of the arrow h by action of the coil spring |0| within the case |04. Attention is directed to the fact that the roller acts to retract the tooth 40 from engagement with the ratchet wheel in a very short distance or travelof the actuating ring 26 in the direction of the arrow fand thatit is not necessary for the toothll tol engage the shoulder 53 of the cutaway portion |19" in order to retract the tooth 40 from engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth. The shoulderr 53 merely provides a convenient stop against which the already retracted tooth 49 may vrest and by which it will be held against ac-i cidental engagement with the ratchet wheel when ther-starting device is not in use. The arrangement here shown, therefore, does not require deh-'-y nite yabutments against which parts must move in` order to retract the tooth 40 of the pawl 39. The advance action and the retracting action of theA tooth 4) is caused by relative movement of theactuating ring and the roller 5U to the cye lindrical extension I9 of the mounting ring I6. It is not even necessary to make a complete stroke `o'f=the.foot treadle in either direction in order toengage or disengage the pawl from the ratchet..

The relative movement of the actuating ring 26 to the cylindrical extension |9- of the mounting ring IB performs another new and novel ace tion); that is to automatically produce disengagement of they pawl 39 and the ratchet wheel I8 intheevent of backfire of the engine. Under such circumstances the ratchet wheel I8 will rotate-in a counter direction to the arrow c, as indicated in the drawings, and in doing so it will rotate :the Vactuating ring 25 in the direction yof the arrow f shown in Fig. 11. This action .discourse is` .beyond the control of the pilot and -itarigid connection existed between the ratchet ywheel I8 and the thrust rod 69 with its foot treadle-59 the. pilot might be seriously injured as the thrust tube 69 was forcibly retracted. Thisv structure prevents injury to the pilot or the starting mechanism. In'explanation'it might .befassumed that when the` actuating ring 25 with theI ratchet hadV reached the position shown in -Fig..10 of the drawing the engine backred. The

ratchet wheel I3 would then instantly rotate in a counter-direction to the arrow e, and the pawl l39:with thering 25 would be carried in a counter-direction to the arrow c in Fig. I0. The rol1er-i5f-would then move along the cylindrical extension I9 of the mounting plate and at least by the time the pawl had reached the position shown-in Fig. l1 the roller would have acted to retract'the tooth 48 of the pawl from engagement with the tooth of the ratchet wheel I8. The mounting ring I5 carries a stop |01 which may be engaged by the stop |08, carried upon member 34, `in theevent the cable '19a should pull the ring assemblyy 26 too far in a clockwise direction.

It willthus be seen that the mechanical engine starting vmechanism here shown is simple in construction, may bev easily installed upon standard engine models without alteration of existing parts, and will act automatically to gripand release a starting ratchet wheel by hand or foot power, and will insure that the force imparted when the engine backres will not produce any injurious eiect but will act automatically to disconnect the starting mechanism from the starting ratchet wheel.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes may be made in combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A mechanical starting device for internal combustion 'engines comprising a ratchet wheel xed to the engine shaft, a mounting plate xed to body of the engine and having a central opening through which the engine shaft extends and which is concentric therewith, a series of rollers carried by said mounting plate, the axes of said rollers being parallel to the engine shaft and being disposed in spaced relation to each other along a circle concentric with said engine shaft, an actuating ring having an annular trackvvay to receive said rollers whereby said ring will be supported to rotate around the axis of the engine shaft, a pawl pivotally mounted upon said actuating ring and adapted to swing relative thereto toward and away from engagement with the ratchet wheel, yieldable means tending to urge the pawl toward its engaging position, an

its initial position.

WALTER H. RIGHTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 164,413 Barnes June 15, 1875 934,576 Seyler Sept. 21, 1909 1,004,635 Dunkel Oct. 3, 1911 1,066,014- Hodgkinson July 1, 1913 1,099,685 Bennett June 9, 1914 1,171,170 Casgrain Feb. 8, 1916 1,229,147 Sandbo June 5, 1917 1,389,108 Warner Aug. 30, 1921 2,266,098 Trader Dec. 16, 1941 

